June 15, 2021

32 : Meditation - Letting Go of What's Not Serving You

Welcome to The Mindful FIRE Podcast, where we explore living mindfully on the path to financial independence and beyond. I'm your host Adam Coelho and I'm so glad you're here.

As we transition seasons from Spring to Summer, what are you carrying that is no longer serving you? It may be the weight of things you said you would do or change when at the start of the year. It may be obvious or it may be more subtle. 

I know that I personally have been noticing a story in my head about all the things I told myself I would do this year and did not get to yet. I've even been feeling bad about not meditating as regularly as I would like. As I pause during this period of transition from Spring to Summer, I've asked myself a wise question, shared by a friend many years ago, "Is this useful?". The reality is, it's not. With that awareness, can I choose to be kind and compassionate to myself and simply let it go?

That's what today's meditation is all about. It's a self compassion practice that invites you to let go of anything that is not serving you as you transition into the summer and the second half of the year. I hope you receive it as an invitation to be kinder and gentler with yourself, because you're carrying a lot this year and last year. Put some of that weight down and move forward fresh. 

 Full Show Notes - https://bit.ly/3vu4d1v

More Inspiring Interviews - https://bit.ly/3gqUjJK

More Guided Meditations - https://bit.ly/2U6EHCJ

 

Transcript

[00:00:00]Adam Coelho:  

 Let's begin by finding a position that allows you to be both alert and relaxed at the same time. You can gently close your eyes or gaze down a few feet in front of you.  And let's begin with three deep breaths together,  breathing in

and out  again,

 once more. [00:01:00]

 and as we 

begin this practice, just bringing to mind and intention 

 Of kindness 

towards yourself.  And whatever's arising in your experience in this moment. Everything is welcome. Met with mindfulness, with kindness, curiosity, and openness.

 Nothing 

is turned away because it's all part of our experience right here. Right now.

 And I invite you to find the breath sensations in your body,  noticing [00:02:00] wherever they're most vivid for 

you right now.

 No need to breathe 

in any particular way, 

but just meeting 

yourself,  meeting the breath, wherever it's showing up and simply observing.  breathing in. I'm aware that I'm breathing in

 and breathing out. I'm aware that 

I'm breathing out,

 resting 

your mind on the breath 

 for a few moments.

 [00:03:00]anytime your mind drifts off into thought or distraction. 

No problem. 

Can you just bring that same kind, curious attitude to whatever arises and meet it 

just has it is.

And then just gently bring your [00:04:00] attention back to the breath and beginning 

again, 

each in breath is a new beginning. Each out breath is the chance to let go.

 and as you 

sit and breathe,  I invite you to bring to 

mind. 

 Some aspect of your life or  the things that you hoped to do in this  beginning of this year, 

 perhaps any 

areas that you  are beating yourself up 

about  [00:05:00]and, 

don't force it, but just bring the curiosity. Is there anything that I'm holding on to.

 Anything that I'm 

 allowing myself to have negative talk around  and not judging it to be good or bad, right or wrong. Just meeting it for now 

 and seeing 

what arises in your mind and your 

body.  And just sitting and breathing, 

 feeling into that, 

noticing any sensations in the body as you 

consider this, 

any emotions in the body or thoughts that come up, stories about it, just sitting with it, seeing if you can bring that [00:06:00] mindful, 

 loving awareness. To this 

area that might not feel so 

good.

 now 

I invite you to [00:07:00] consider the possibility of simply letting that 

go.

 I find 

that it helps to ask the question.  

Is this useful? 

 And if it's not useful,  can I  just simply let 

it go.  As we 

move into this new 

season,  can I  make the intention 

 to set this stuff aside and leave it?  These stories, these feelings of  inadequacy,  whatever they may be for you  can, I simply 

 let them go.

 So imagining as you breathe 

in 

 [00:08:00]here, bringing kindness to yourself and as you breathe out, You're letting go of things that no longer serve you

 And if 

you like placing a hand on your heart, on your belly, whatever's comfortable for you just feeling that kindness coming in, directing it to yourself as you breathe in.

And as you breathe out, just letting it go.

  [00:09:00]breathing 

in. I breathe in kindness, 

 breathing out. 

I allow myself to let these things 

go.

 And now in a [00:10:00] moment, I'll invite you to practice some formal Metta practice or love and kindness practice. And we'll begin by directing that kindness and compassion to 

ourselves.

And it's worth noting that giving 

ourselves compassion is not about. Making excuses for the things we didn't do 

or forgetting about them. But rather it's 

recognizing that we have a lot going on and we're doing the best we can. And sometimes that's enough. And so bringing a sense of compassion and kindness.

Towards this human condition, 

[00:11:00] The suffering that we are causing ourselves by holding onto these things. 

And 

it's an opportunity and invitation to simply let them go.  And to direct this love, this 

kindness towards ourselves. As we 

head forward into this new 

season. And so 

again, if you like placing a hand on your heart, one on your belly, whatever's comfortable and repeating silently,

may I be happy? 

And at 

ease

May I be healthy 

and safe.

May 

[00:12:00] I be kind to myself and let go of the things that no longer serve me?

May I recognize my strength? And my 

resilience

may, I feel loved 

and supported

and 

allowing whatever you wish to arise for yourself.

Let's take a deep breath in. Okay.

and 

let's [00:13:00] run through 

that one more time. Repeating silently, 

may I be happy? And 

at ease?

may I be 

healthy and safe?

may I be 

kind to myself and let go of anything that is no longer serving 

me?

May 

I recognize my strength and my 

resilience

may I feel 

loved and supported

[00:14:00] and allowing whatever you wish for yourself to 

arise.

Taking a deep breath in

and let us now extend this compassion. These well-wishes to all beings everywhere. Imagining as you repeat these phrases silently that you're sending it out to every living, being on this planet, 

may 

every being be happy 

and at ease

may every being be healthy and safe.

[00:15:00] may every being be kind to themselves and let go of anything that is no longer serving them.

may every living being recognized, their strength and their resilience.

May I agree. I think being

feel loved 

and 

supported

and allowing whatever 

you wish for all beings 

to arise.

Let us 

finish this practice with three deep breaths together. 

Breathing in

[00:16:00] and breathing out

again.

And once more.

And 

when you're ready slowly opening your eyes and taking one final mindful breath with your 

eyes open

as a reminder that this is available to you anywhere, anytime. And it just takes a moment.

Thank you so much for your attention. 




Adam CoelhoProfile Photo

Adam Coelho

Host of The Mindful FIRE Podcast

Adam Coelho is the founder and host of The Mindfulness FIRE Podcast. He's also a father and husband and has been at Google for the last 10 years. He has been facilitating mindfulness and emotional intelligence courses at Google including the popular Search Inside Yourself (siyli.org) course. Adam is a commitment to creating opportunity through connection. He does this by connecting with others and by bringing people together. I'm excited to have you join me in this exploration by joining my email list. No spam I promise.